Traders warned of priest email scam

Businesses in mid-west Western Australia targeted by an email scam requesting accommodation for four Greek priests are being urged to get in contact with Consumer Protection.

Geraldton police have revealed they have had several reports involving businesses receiving a payment, then requesting the business to re-deposit the payment into the account of a translator.

Danni Bloomfield from Consumer Protection says it is not the first time the scam, known as 'advance fee fraud', has popped up and she is urging businesses to get in contact if they are targeted.

"Basically what happens is they usually use a stolen credit card to deposit funds into the businesses account. The business sees the funds in there and then follows through with a request to transfer money to a third party," she said.

"The problem is once the credit card is revealed to be stolen, the money that has been deposited into the trader's account is also reversed by the credit card company."